1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a composition useful for preserving wood and composite wood materials and for treating soil to protect against termite infestation. The present invention also relates to a process for treating wood and composite wood materials to preserve the wood, as well as to a process for treating soil to control termite infestation.
The invention specifically relates to a mixture of a fungicidally effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate, 3-iodo-2-propynyl hexyl carbamate, 3-iodo-2-propynyl cyclohexyl carbamate, 3-iodo-2-propynyl phenyl carbamate, and mixtures thereof, and an insecticidally, e.g., termiticidally, effective amount of at least one pyrethroid-type insecticide selected from the group consisting of cyano-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimeth yl-cyclopropanecarboxylate [Cyfluthrin], (3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclo-propan ecarboxylate [Permethrin], cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-3-(2,2-dichloroethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopro panecarboxylate [Cypermethrin], cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-methylbutyrate [Fenvalerate], and mixtures thereof, and to the use of this composition for wood preservation and soil treatment.
2. Description of Related Art
The compound 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate (IPBC) (CAS 55406-53-6) is widely used as a fungicide for aqueous and organic solvent based systems such as paints and coatings, metal cutting fluids, textile and paper coatings, inks, plastics, adhesives and the like. Research indicates that IPBC also has a promising efficacy profile against wood destroying organisms (fungi), having shown low toxicity values for common fungi. Indeed, a unique characteristic of IPBC is its efficacy against both blue stain (ascomycetes) and general wood destroying fungi (basidiomycetes) at a reasonable application rate.
It also is known that pyrethroid-type insecticides including cyano-(4-fluoro-3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimeth yl-cyclopropanecarboxylate [Cyfluthrin], (3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclopropane -carboxylate [Permethrin], cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-3-(2,2-dichloroethenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-cyclop ropanecarboxylate [Cypermethrin], and cyano-(3-phenoxyphenyl)-methyl-2-(4-cholorphenyl)-3-methylbutyrate [Fenvalerate] can be used as insecticides in soil treatment compositions used for protecting plants and wooden structures, in particular against termite infestation.
It generally is agreed that insecticides for plant protection should degrade after a certain period of time to eliminate the possibility of food chain contamination endangering the health of humans and wildlife. It also is recognized that to be effective, insecticides for plant protection generally should remain on the surface of the treated plant and not penetrate too deeply into the plant. In this way, the insecticides can be washed off the plant easily some time after the original application. These characteristics are the antithesis of properties needed for a successful wood or soil treatment composition, where long-term efficacy and good penetration of the active ingredients into the woody substrate or soil stratum are key attributes.
For complete protection, wood should be treated with a composition that not only prevents destruction from wood-destroying fungi, blue stain and molds but also from wood-destroying insects, for example such as termites. The prior art, however, does not provide any indication whether the combination of the fungicide IPBC or other related fungicides with one or more of the above-mentioned pyrethroid-type insecticides would be useful for wood protection. The prior art similarly fails to indicate whether such a combination would be useful for soil treatment.
While the pyrethroid-type insecticides of the above-mentioned group are known to exhibit good insecticidal activity, particularly against termites, it is not known whether these insecticides could also be used for wood preservation in combination with the fungicide IPBC or another related fungicide while retaining their termiticidal efficacy. Additionally, it is not known how the combination of the fungicide IPBC or another related fungicide with any of the above-mentioned pyrethroid-type insecticides would affect their termiticidal activity when used in a soil treatment composition. As is always a possibility when using a combination of chemicals having diverse activities, one of the chemicals may impair or interfere with the activity of the other.
Since the prior art has not disclosed or suggested combining IPBC or related compounds with the above-mentioned pyrethroid-type insecticides, the prior art does not indicate what amount of the fungicide IPBC and one or more of the above-noted pyrethroid-type insecticides is required to provide an optimum in wood preservation against both wood destroying and wood discoloring fungi and against wood destroying insects, especially termites. For similar reasons, it is not known what amount of IPBC and insecticide is needed to obtain the long-lasting efficacy needed for successful wood protection and soil treatment, or how to formulate an effective wood preservative or soil treatment composition using this biocide combination.